Bulk dispenser



Oct. 28, 1969 FIG. 2 o

C. E. SAUNDERS ET ALv BULK DISPENSER Filed Oct. 10, 1967 INVENTORSCHARLES E. SAUNDERS BY OLAF M. OLSEN United States Patent O 3,475,069BULK DISPENSER Charles E. Saunders, Old Lyme, and Olaf M. Olsen, OldSaybrook, Conn., assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company, acorporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 674,146 Int. Cl.B6511 1/12; A47f 1/06 U.S. Cl. 312-71 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS A conventional bulkdispenser is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,236,412, Vaught et al.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a bulkdispenser for storing and dispensing unstacked articles, andparticularly to a bulk dispenser for storing and dispensing unstackedarticles, which exert transverse forces as well as a vertical load onthe dispenser. When a prior art bulk dispenser contains a group ofunstacked articles, such as light bulbs or the like, the articles exerttransverse forces against the housing walls which cause friction forcesacting in a direction to restrain movement of the platform. Thus, oneproblem with said prior art dispenser is that it is difficult to providea satisfactory self-leveling platform when such friction forces arepresent.

SUMMARY The above problem is solved in one embodiment of the presentinvention by using vertically-displaceable flexible side walls supportedby the dispenser support housing and connecting to the platform toresist the transverse forces from the group of unstacked articles and toprevent friction forces against the housing walls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following figures, like parts aredesignated by like numerals.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partially in section, embodyingfeatures of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

Dispenser 10 includes a support frame 12, a verticallydisplaceableself-leveling platform 14, a spring means 16 for supporting the platform14 on the frame 12 so that the platform 14 is self-leveling, and aplurality of flexible side walls 18, 20, 22, 24, which are supported bythe frame 12 and which rise and fall with the platform 14.

Platform 14 and side Walls 18, 20, 22, 24 form a storage chamber 26,which carries and dispenses a load of articles 28 such as light bulbs.The articles 28 exert a downward force 30 on the platform 14 and whichexert horizontal forces 32, 34, 36, 38 against respective walls 18, 20,22, 24. Spring 16 and platform 14 resist the downward force 30; andwalls 18, 20, 22, 24 and frame 12 resist the respective horizontalforces 32, 34, 36, 38. Platform 14 is self-leveling so that the topsurfaces 40 of the articles 28 remains substantially level with changein volume of chamber 26 and change in number of articles 28.

Frame 12 includes a base plate 42, four posts 44, 46, 48, 50 resting onplate 42, four upper tie bars 52, and four lower tie bars 60.

Base plate 42 has four caster wheels 68 for use of frame 12 as a cart.

Platform 14 has a center plate portion 76, and four bent-plate edgeportions 78.

Edge portions 78, are respectively connected to flexible Walls 18, 20,22, 24 by respective connectors 86, such as washer plates and bolts.

Spring means 16 is a helical compression spring member 94 with aconnector 96, such as a washer and bolt, which mounts spring member 94on frame base plate 42. Spring member 94 has a selected spring ratebased on a number of factors, including the weight of articles 28, sothat the top surface 40 of the load of articles 28 remains substantiallylevel with changes in the volume of the load of articles 28 in chamber28.

Flexible walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are substantially identical inconstruction. Wall 18 is described hereafter in detail. Wall 18 includesan elongate flexible belt 98 with a pair of turnbuckles 100, 102, whichconnect together the opposite ends of belt 98 for belt tensioning. Wall18 also has upper and lower support rollers 104, 106, mounted on frame12.

Upper roller 104, which is identical in construction to lower roller 106includes: a shft 108, a hollow tube 110, and ball bearing units 112.

In operation, a group of unstacked articles 28 such as light bulbs orthe like, are placed in storage chamber 26. Regardless of the quantityof articles 28 in chamber 26, the top surface 40 of the articles 28 willsubstantially align itself with the top edge of rollers 104 or asimilarlychosen design level. Belt 98 contains the articles 28 andavoids friction forces between the platform 14 and the support frame 12.

While the present invention has been described in a preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications can be made therein within the scope of the invention. Itis intended that the appended claims cover all such modification.

What is claimed:

1. A self-leveling dispenser comprising:

a support structure;

a platform displaceable relative to the support structure for supportinga group of articles;

spring means having a selected spring rate for making the platformself-leveling; and

a plurality of continuous elongate, flexible side walls arrangedtogether with the platform to form a chamber above the platform forcontaining the group of articles, at least one of said side walls beingsupported by the support structure and connecting to the platform.

2. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which said spring meansincludes a helical compression spring member.

3. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which said plurality of sidewalls are all supported by the support structure and are all connectedto the platform.

4. A self-leveling dispenser comprising a support structure, a platformdisplaceable relative to the support structure for supporting a group ofarticles, spring means having a selected spring rate for making theplatform self-leveling and a plurality of elongate, flexible beltsforming side walls and arranged together with the platform to form achamber about the platform for containing the group of articles, saidbelts having their opposite ends connected together to form continuousbelts and having respective pairs of support members mounted on thesupport structure at opposite ends of the belts and said belts alsobeing connected to the platform.

5. The dispenser as claimed in claim 7, in which the support members forsaid belts are anti-friction support rollers, each comprising a centersupport shaft connected to the support structure, a hollow tubeconcentric about the shaft, and a plurality of ball-bearing unitsdisposed between the shaft and tube. 6. The dispenser as claimed inclaim 7, in which each of said belts has connector means disposedbetween the opposite ends of the belt within said belt References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS Praed 2201-93 Gibbs 220-93 XR Kiesling 312-71Eurey 220-93 CASMIKA. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner 108-136; zit-49 U.S. Cl.X.R.

